CONVERSATION: Artist Rui Sasaki, who's been interested in the concept of "the corner" since RISD, on her recent museum exhibition in Japan

Rui Sasaki's recent exhibition in Japan (a group exhibition at the 21st-Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa from October 30th through November 11th) was an exploration of the meaning of the Japanese term "Kogei," which can be roughly translated as "Craft" in English. It was no accident the setting was Kanazawa, a city that has been closely linked to "Kogei" since the 17th century. The city government has actively been promoting the association with this complex term, which is discussed at length in Japanese culture. The exhibition, entitled "Exploring the Possibilities of KOGEI x Architecture" sought to tease out some of the nuances of meaning of the "Kogei," and Sasaki was one of 14 artists, architects, designers, and philosophers asked to participate. The Glass Quarterly Hot Sheet recently caught up with Sasaki to ask her about her participation and impressions of the exhibition via an email exchange.

Artist/designer Luisa Restrepo in the studio.

Friday December 14, 2018 | by Eve Aaron

CONVERSATION: Mexico City-based artist-designer Luisa Restrepo discusses her upcycling design practice and her conceptual exploration of excess

Mexico City has always been a place of craft and in recent years that reputation has expanded as fine artists from everywhere flock to the city. Colombian glass artist, Luisa Restrepo works out of her studio "El Taller" in one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, The Guerrero. Much of her work is made from reused glass that she "upcycles," totally transforming what we might call "waste" into high-end design and jewelry pieces. Last summer, Restrepo taught a class at Urban Glass called Shift, which was based upon this idea of the reusability of glass. Restrepo has been exploring ideas of excess and obesity in her more conceptual work, finding fascination in our changing reality as a reflection of the changing physical form.

Groundbreaking, Photo: Courtesy SCC

Wednesday December 12, 2018 | by Eve Aaron

Salem Community College in New Jersey building an expanded glass studio to accommodate growing interest in flameworking curriculum

Salem Community College in Carney Township, New Jersey, offers two glass-related associate's degrees - one in applied science for scientific-glass technology and another in fine arts. Both degree programs have proved so popular, with enrollment up by 220 percent and 115 percent respectively, that the institution is constructing a new, much-larger glass studio. The new building, named for the college's major benefactors Sam and Jean Jones, will include a 15,000-square-foot studio/lab as part of its 20,000-square-foot total area. The studio/lab space will be named in honor of the school's alumnus and internationally respected glass artist, Paul J. Stankard. The facility will replace the current Samuel H. Jones Education Center, which is located twelve miles from the campus in the town of Alloway.

Friday December 7, 2018 | by Ivana Pencheff

A multi-layered relationship between three prominent artists explored in an exhibition and artist talk on Saturday

"We're like three rocks on the same beach getting tossed around by the ocean together for 30 years - we can't help but round each other's edges"- Dick Weiss. Traver Gallery's ongoing exhibition"Old Friends, New Work," showcases the work of three artists who share a deep friendship: Charlie Parriott, Cappy Thompson, and Dick Weiss. Each artist has contributed independent work to be displayed together, revealing the relationships and influence they have had upon one another. In an email exchange with the Glass Quarterly Hot Sheet, gallery owner Sarah Traver said that “This is the first time that we will have exhibited these three artists together.” She explained how each artist created individual bodies of work, not explicitly intended to explore their decades-long friendship, but with insights into their long-running affections for one another an inevitable byproduct. “They are displayed together in the gallery collectively so that those connections can be revealed and discovered organically,” said Traver.

A 2018 NASA photograph of a supernova.

Thursday December 6, 2018 | by Ivana Pencheff

Astronomers trace the source of the basic ingredient of glass to ancient supernovas that dusted the universe with silica

"Every time we gaze through a window, walk down the pavement, or set foot on a sandy beach, we are interacting with material made by exploding stars that burned millions of years ago," says Haley Gomez, a professor at Cardiff University's School of Physics and Astronomy.

The New Jersey Council of County Colleges recently presented the first statewide Community College Distinguished Alumnus Award to Salem Community College Alumnus Paul J. Stankard. From L to R: The association's president Aaron Fichtner, chair Helen Albright, honoree Paul Stankard, Salem Community College board chair Dorothy Hall, and Salem's President Michael Gorman.

Thursday November 29, 2018 | by Ivana Pencheff

AWARD: Artist Paul Stankard honored by academic association

Flameworker Paul Stankard was honored by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges in a November 16, 2018, ceremony. The award recognizes New Jersey community college graduates that have made honorable contributions to their respective professional fields. In a telephone interview with the Glass Quarterly Hot Sheet, Stankard said that, "Salem Community College offered me a beautiful platform to stand on and build a career." He credits his 1961 enrollment in what was then named the Salem County Vocational Technical Institute’s scientific glassblowing program for instilling not only a strong technical foundation but also where he found an emotional connection to glass art. Interacting and sharing with other glassworkers is what he holds of most importance. "Sharing can be a two-way street. Interacting with young people and sharing my philosophy and process helps me articulate what is important to me," Stankard said.

Photo: Courtesy the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass

Wednesday November 28, 2018 | by Eve Aaron

EXHIBITION: "Sharper Edges" at the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass honors the artform's female voices

Celebrating female artists working with glass, the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass in Wisconsin has opened a new exhibition, "Sharper Edges: Women Working on the Edge of Glass." The artists in this exhibition grapple with social issues through their work, expressing their views on politics, gender biases and the environment. An art form largely dominated by male protagonists, glass has a somewhat hidden female history of subtly powerful influence. For more insight into the background of this exhibition, The Glass Quarterly Hot Sheet spoke with the museum's director, Jan Smith, and with exhibiting artist Audrey Handler. Handler is a former student of renowned glass artist and teacher Harvey Littleton, and is referred to by Smith as the "grande dame of contemporary glass."Glass Quarterly Hot Sheet: What was the impetus for this exhibition?Jan Smith: Although there is some concern in the arts community about identifying women artists in a way that seems to segregate them further, there is also reason to emulate their accomplishments in a year that has focused on women's initiatives and wellbeing. About two years ago, Audrey Handler mentioned an inquiry she began with the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C. about glass representation by women in their collection. Apparently, women were under represented and the broad spectrum of their work by women in this medium was lacking. Audrey Handler felt compelled to do something about it and asked if I would consider helping with an exhibition proposal.

Joshua Bernbaum Fraunhofer Rectangle White

Joshua Bernbaum, Fraunhofer Lines (Horizontal Pane), 2017. H 12, W 25 in.

Thursday November 22, 2018 | by Eve Aaron

CONVERSATION: Artist Joshua Bernbaum and Dealer Simon Abrahms talk optics, color, and glass art

The Chesterfield Gallery in New York City is curently featuring new work by Vermont-based glass artist Joshua Bernbaum that stretches outside of the artist's usual signature aesthetic, departing from design and moving into a much more conceptual, abstract realm. Bernbaum is deepening his focus on color and gesturing towards science as he does so. The Glass Quarterly Hot Sheet spoke with both Bernbaum and the owner of the Chesterfield Gallery, Simon Abrahms, to learn more about this new exhibition.

Sunday November 18, 2018 | by Eve Aaron

HELP WANTED: Pilchuck announces search for a new artistic director, a redefined position likely with less operational duties

The Pilchuck School is seeking a new artistic director to bring the institution into its next phase of educational and artistic programming. The official job posting for the position states that the artistic director will "Set and lead the organization's programmatic vision; represent the organization to its past, present, and prospective constituents; and manage interactions with an array of creative professionals on and off campus." The deadline to apply is December 21, 2018.

A nighttime exterior of the Barry Art Museum, designed by Saunders + Crouse Architects, the same firm behind the renovation of Norfolk's Glass Wheel Studio. courtesy: old dominion university

Wednesday November 14, 2018 | by Andrew Page

OPENING: The Barry Art Museum, a brand-new institution in Norfolk, Virginia, displays glass and other collections

Following a lunchtime reception, Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, will officially open the doors of its brand-new Barry Art Museum to the public during an open house from 4 to 7 PM today, November 14th. The newly constructed 24,000-square-foot museum was funded by art collectors and philanthropists Richard and Carolyn Barry, who also donated the art collection that will be exhibited in the two-story building on the Old Dominion University Campus. Their total gift of their collections and the money to build the museum is valued at $35 million, and considered the largest gift in the university's history. Less than three miles from the Chrysler Museum of Art and its glass studio, the Barry Art Museum, with its substantial contemporary glass art holdings, will bolster the importance of Norfolk as a center for art in the material.

Glass: The UrbanGlass Quarterly, a glossy art magazine published four times a year by UrbanGlass has provided a critical context to the most important artwork being done in the medium of glass for more than 40 years.